The manufacturer of an ejector seat which threw a Red Arrows pilot to his death will appear in court today.

Flt Lt Sean Cunningham died after being thrown 300ft in to the air when the ejector seat in his Hawk jet initiated during pre-flight checks on his Hawk jet at RAF Scampton in 2011.

The parachute on the ejection seat did not deploy fully and Flt Lt Cunningham fell down to earth still strapped into the seat. He suffered multiple injuries and was airlifted to hospital but was pronounced dead within an hour.

Flt Lt Sean Cunningham Red Arrows.

The Health and Safety Executive brought charges against Martin Baker Aircraft Company Ltd and the firm entered a not guilty plea at Lincoln Crown Court last May.

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The charge is the company failed to conduct its undertaking in relation to the design, manufacture, supply and support of the ejection seat in a way that did not expose non-employees to risk.

In December they appeared at Lincoln Crown Court for a pre-trial review hearing.

During the hearing it was agreed that the trial would take place at Lincoln Crown Court in January.

Members of Flt Lt Cunningham's family sat in court during the 30-minute hearing.

The Red Arrows

A plea and directions hearing will start at Lincoln Crown Court today (Monday, January 22). If the company pleads not guilty to the charge, the case will proceed to a full trial, which could last for between four and five weeks.

Flt Lt Cunningham, who was from Coventry, had just completed his first season with the Arrows and held the position of Red 5 in the formation team at the time of his death.

He was the second member of the team to die within three months following the loss of Flt Lt Jon Egging, whose Hawk jet crashed during a display at an air show in Dorset.